Star Gala - Battersea Park, London 1962 & 1964

An opportunity to spot the celebrities who attended the all-star galas held at the Battersea Park Festival Gardens, London, on 19 May 1962 and 9 May 1964 on behalf of the Variety Club charities. Among the stars captured on this 8mm film, you will see Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner), Peter Adamson (Len Fairclough), Danny Williams, The Allisons, Harry Fowler, Kenny Lynch, Doug Sheldon, Michael Holliday, Shaw Taylor, Sid James, David Jacobs, Keith Fordyce, Honor Blackman, Maurice Kaufmann, Raymond Francis, Dorothy Squires, Shirley Anne Field, Ronald Fraser, Ray Ellington, Charles Tingwell, Ottilie Patterson, Alma Cogan, Jimmy Young, Norman Rossington, Peter Noble, The Dictators, Kenneth Cope, Nicholas Parsons, Hylda Baker, Michael Medwin, Andrew Ray, Sam Kydd, Sonny Webb, Ray Orchard, Harry H Corbett, Oliver Reed, Alan Dell, Donald Sinden and Hugh Lloyd. The background music is played by Winifred Atwell. Filmed by Brian Henson.

[@Hickey66]

This is a great clip. I recognise most of the stars. Yes, as said, it brings back memories, fondly.

[@elizabethchurnside2611]

Lovely. Seeing the old footage of years ago. Pure nostalgia. Recognised nearly every one. I could keep on watching. 👍👍👍👏👏👏😉😉😉

[@chris5pens]

Brilliant! Loads of memories flooding back. I'd have been there in 1964 aged 9.

[@knibscratch]

Fantastic to see this,I went to Battersea park once just before it ended, what a great day this must have been, anyone can tell it's a British film .... Sam kydd is in it! :) Pity that most are no longer with us,this film should be in an archive for future generations to view .. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@Ampex196]

A lovely 8mm film with appropriate 'period feel' music - very well done! Before I read your list, I managed 16 names plus a few faces I couldn't quite place Many thanks for posting

[@replicantplanet]

Amazing footage great stars for a moment in history

[@28Jayno]

been looking for someone who remembers the Star Gala`s, they were wonderful, I think I went to them when they first started, had a load of autographs, but over the years have gone missing. You could talk with the stars, had a lovely photo and autograph of the late Jack Hawkins a lovely man. The Army Game cast were there, and Macdonald Hobley was doing a broadcast from there. Thanks for all the memories and the cine film was great.

[@kester1940]

@MegaGlamma Thank you for your interest and kind comments. Yes I did indeed film this myself, on an 8mm Eumig cine camera.

[@porridgeeveryday]

i lost my "man from uncle" doll there in 1967, i cried for weeks.

[@mohatchett8001]

When i was a lad many many moons ago i used go to the cinema on a Saturday either at the ABC or the Rank and sometimes after the flim there was a Actor from the flim and they did no mind has you can see in the flim above giving their autographs .Good down to earth people and truly missed God bless to them and thank you for your laughter and joy over the years.

[@trampre411]

I cried my eyes out on seeing this could not stop playing it . Winnie Atwell brilliant . I was a long distance lorry driver us to make a bit of time up to park up early at the bush and get a taxi to the fair great times get back to the bush late and pi$#ed had to sleep in lorry as digs was locked up ☹ would not let you in after 11.00 . Kenneth cope don't look very happy!! .

[@vegboxman]

Thank you. I certainly remember the face but until now not the name. A really great piece of British history on film.

[@MichaelAdrianMusic]

Brilliant! And great that so many of the people are still with us today! A real who's who of early 60s showbiz!

[@dav7444]

Wow, wish I was there

[@kester1940]

I'm glad you enjoyed trying to spot the stars, Ampex. There are some faces I can't place either. If anyone recognizes someone who is not on my list, do let me know. Thanks!

[@glamdolly30]

Oliver Reed was gorgeous, what a treat to see him here in his prime @ 5:45. But it's a far too fleeting glimpse, alas! Great to see the equally charismatic Pat Phoenix too - even in a pedalo she oozed charisma!

[@seftonwallet]

@LONDONGUY100 A great & historic clip, thanks or posting.

[@TheWhitehall]

Carefree days.

[@starstruckone]

brilliant, thanks for this, very nostalgic .

[@juliemunro1]

I was still at school when this happened so I'm not familiar with the stars in the film. I know my grandmother would know the names, had she still been alive today I could have asked her

[@kester1940]

@LONDONGUY100 - Hi London Guy, and thanks for your interest. If you click on the double arrow a little below the screen area - where I have typed "An opportunity to spot the celebrities who attended the all-star galas... etc etc" you will find a longer list of the 'cast' of my film.

[@barryrue]

It's Norman Rossington, Beatles Film actor and a million other things at 3.23.

[@piperbob2]

I remember the Easter Parades at Battersea Park - especially the Irish Girls Pipe Band!

[@kester1940]

It's Keith Fordyce - Radio Luxembourg DJ and presenter of TV's 'Ready Steady Go. He can also be seen walking towards the camera between 2.16 and 2.22.

[@trampre411]

I fell in love with alma Cogan .

[@colinnewman3887]

Dorothy squires the lady in navy and white a great singer

[@kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - An interesting suggestion, and you may well be right. At the moment I'm still leaning towards David Jacobs, but I'd welcome the thoughts of other viewers. Where ever did I get 'Roger' from? Many thanks for drawing attention to my slip, which I've now corrected in my description notes. I regret I don't have any other celeb films I can upload, but Pathe covered these events, and you will find several on the British Pathe website.

[@LONDONGUY100]

In the boat at the start, Pat Phoenix and Peter Adamson (Elsie Tanner and Len Fairclough from corrie) Then, in no particular order. Harry Fowler. Shaw Taylor. Sid James. Ronnie Frazer. Keith Fordyce. Jimmy Young. Kenneth Cope. Shirley Ann Field. Nicholas Parsons. Hylda Baker. Sam Kydd. Harry H Corrbet (Harold Steptoe). Hugh Lloyd. Donald Sinden. Oliver Reed. Quite a cast for a short movie!

[@kester1940]

@lyndloo - Well spotted Lyndloo. Honor and Michael are indeed among the celebrities on this film For a long list, click on 'Show more' above, just below the screen.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Ma and I, living not too far away, used to go to Battersea Park quite a lot and I remember seeing Hy Hazell there. I think it must've been a pre-pubescent crush because I don't remember anyone else at all

[@kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - I can confirm that Peter Sellers was not there, so I think trigga1uk was, as you suggest, confusing him with Shaw Taylor who does bear a likeness to him.

[@kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - That is indeed Raymond Francis in a boat, followed in the next shot by Honor Blackman. I'd never known who the man with her was, but I'm sure you are correct about it being Maurice Kaufmann as they were quite recently married at that time. Please look at the film again, Michael, and check 3.19 to 3.24 as there is a close-up of them both walking towards the camera. Do let me know if you can positively identify that it's Kaufmann with her at that point.

[@qwisp]

Wow! Oliver Reed! And who's the hot bird getting out of the boat in the tight green dress??? Zoweeeee!!

[@Ampex196]

@kester1940 Thanks Kester. I think I can possibly add two names: Eamonn Andrews (3.23-3.26) and Graham Stark (4.20-4.24).

[@kester1940]

@qwisp - That was actress Shirley Anne Field.

[@barryrue]

Kenny Lynch at0.40.

[@RG-jj7yz]

Wondering if I'd see my parents, but alas not. My dad is never one for getting autographs even when he met David Bowie in 1971.

[@knibscratch]

PS The only one I didn't know of was Doug Sheldon ... I had to 'Google' him!

[@MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 Yes, I've rechecked that sequence and I'm as sure as I can be that it's Maurice Kaufmann. Have you identified who's in the boat Sid James's hits at 1.33?

[@MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 I thought it looked like Brian Rix (which would make it Elspet Gray beside him?). You put "Roger" by the way - it should be Maurice. Any more of these films around? They're fascinating.

[@kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - It looks like David Jacobs steering the boat, but I can't see who the woman with the headscarf sitting by him is.

[@garywood5427]

Shirley annfield (named after a famous football ground) only joe king 😆😎

[@PlanetaryCitizen]

Isn't that Kenny Lynch at 0:40?

[@MichaelAdrianMusic]

@trigga1uk I don't think Peter Sellers is there. Shaw Taylor looks remarkably like him.

[@MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 I thought I spotted actor Raymond Francis of "No Hiding Place" fame in a boat at 1.51. Also, is it Honor Blackman in a boat with a man at 1.57? If so, could the man possibly be her then husband, Maurice Kaufmann? He looks quite like him.

[@PlanetaryCitizen]

Yes, it does look like Raymond Francis. I used to watch No Hiding Place when I was a boy!

[@vegboxman]

Who is the guy facing the camera at 3.08?

[@kester1940]

@trigga1uk - I don't see a black guy at 0:24 . Did you mean 0:34? If so, it's Danny Williams, who had UK chart hits in the 1960s & 1970s - including a No.1 in 1961 with 'Moon River'.

[@twinray27]

Who's the guy with the guitar at 1: 47 ?

[@ianharrison3662]

Hylda Baker, stood standing there, on her own, by herself, with nobody with her .

[@kester1940]

She's smiling though, Ian, and happily signing autographs. Also at 4:30 you see Harry Fowler pinning a button hole flower on her coat.

[@ianharrison3662]

True, but she probably thought it was a bit like "Sodom and T'morrer!"

[@peterg957]

Not a Burka to be seen...

[@CanadianCockney]

I remeber attending one of them in 1968 or 1969 -it was awful! people fawning over the 'stars' of the time, clamoring to get thier autographs and the 'stars' making a show of how much they could ignore you. A wasted day, that!

[@christina7215]

England belongs to English!